The Best Flip-Flop Sandals For Women Review

If you want to purchase one versatile flip, and can afford the price, go for our Editors' Choice winner, the OluKai Ohana Sandal - Women's. It is comfortable, supportive, durable, and doesn’t look too shabby at that. While it was the most expensive of the flips we tested, you truly get what you pay for and the Ohana will last you a good long time and can be worn in almost every situation.

The Best Buy award goes to the Reef Sandy Sandal. which is a classic flip with a classic price tag – only $24 bucks!

That being said, here are a few other honors we want to dole out to this stellar lineup of flip flops:

The Featherweight Champion Award goes to theSanuk Yoga Mat - Women's (I mean really, these things must weigh negative ounces! Soooo comfy!)

The Pretty and Powerful Award goes to the Keen Florence Flip (these, a skirt, and a challenge – all you need!)


Each of the flip flops we tested excelled in at least one area of testing. It was a pleasant surprise to have no total disappointments and to be able to recommend a flip for almost any situation or desire you might have.

Comfort
It’s no surprise that flip flops are, on principle, comfortable, and three of the ones we tested scored 100 percent in this category: the Sanuk Yoga Mat, the Reef Sandy, and the Keen Florence. Our overall winner for best all-around flip, the OluKai Ohana, came in just under these three due to it being just slightly heavier. Don’t get comfort confused with support. We made this category with a strict “Ahhhh” factor. On that principle if I really had to only pick one, it would be the Sanuk Yoga Mat. Incredibly soft and squishy, these were the flips I always reached for on the lazy days.

Support
Again, while support can contribute to comfort, it is its own category because we feel flips can be worn for everything from napping to tide pooling, and if you are going to be active, it is support that you’re looking for. The clear winner in this category is also our favorite flip overall, the OluKai Ohana. This sandal cradles the foot with a molded outsole while providing the best arch support we’ve seen in a flip-flop. The straps are fitted securely over the foot without being tight and they never stretched out. While the Sanuk Yoga Mat wins for comfort, the OluKai Ohana provides support while coming in a close second to the Sanuk in pure comfort, making it a better choice for those who want a more versatile flip.

Other sandals that provided good support were the Keen Florence (also extremely comfortable) and the Chaco EcoTread Flip, which in my mind sacrifices comfort for amazing traction and stability. If you are active, especially in water sports, you could give up a little arch support for the traction of the Chaco. Similarly, if you want a more feminine and comfortable flip, you could go with the Florence. However, the OluKai does not fall too short in either of those areas while providing superior arch support.

Style
We have a tie in this category, and each flip receiving a perfect score does so for very different reasons. First, we have the Keen Florence, with a low profile design, pretty patterns, and a small decorative button. Without being too “cutesy” the Florence is feminine and pretty, and was my choice for skirts and dresses and for the workplace (yes, I have a casual job). I wasn’t sure I could handle feminine in my flip – I traditionally was drawn to more sporty, simple designs – but the Florence’s design is subtle and she still can handle just as much wear and tear as her counterparts.

Sharing the style points with Keen is the Reef Sandy. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Sandy is beyond simple: monochromatic, smooth, and classic. In fact, the Sandy could be considered a classic as it has been around for years without much, if any, tweaking. It is what a quintessential old school flip flop should be: no bells and whistles, just comfort and simplicity. It is well made and lends you a bit of street cred and style.

Durability
We have another tie ladies! This time it is between the OluKai Ohana and the Chaco EcoTread Flip. Not much to say here really, other than I’m not sure exactly what could cause the demise of either of these sandals. They are tough. No amount of wear and tear seemed to make them look any different than the day I took them out of the box. Both footbeds remained firm and supportive rather than collapsing, as was the case with the Yoga Mat and the Sandy. In addition, key with both the EcoTread and the Ohana were straps that never stretched out, keeping my feet feeling secure during hikes, stream walks, cruiser rides, and kayaking.

Traction/Slippage
We made this category thinking of two things. First, how does the flip flop handle different surfaces such as lose dirt and slippery rocks? Second, how secure does your foot feel in the flip? We measured the traction and slippage for both the top and bottom of the footbed. Our perfect 10 in this department is the Chaco EcoTread Flip. If you are a water sportswoman this is the flip for you. I would be surprised to hear from anyone that their feet budged an inch in these serious, sporty sandals. The footbed has a crisscrossed grooved design that seems to funnel out water between your foot and the shoe. Those, combined with super secure, snug straps, keep your feet firmly in place. The sole of the EcoTread also performed flawlessly in both lose, dry, gravelly dirt and wet, mossy, rocky streams.

The very close runner up in this category was the OluKai Ohana. The Ohana also had near perfect traction and the combination of the suede-like footbed and contoured sole meant my feet didn’t slip around. The only thing eking out a first place for the Chaco is its tighter straps. However, the OluKai provides almost as much stability and traction with far more comfort.

If your feet aren’t sensitive, and if you truly need a flip that means business for active pursuits, go with the Chaco EcoTread Flip.

Not Included in Full Review
Havianas Top - Women's are a great sandal for the pool, but we didn't feel they qualified as a serious wear-every-day-do-everything flip.